This invention relates to a process for producing chewing gum in the form of composite fibers. Specifically, it relates to a process for producing chewing gum in the form of composite fibers, which comprises feeding a sugar and/or a candy and a chewing gum base or chewing gum composition sugar mixture into a fiberizing section, such as a rotating cylinder, of a candy floss (cotton candy) making machine thereby to fiberizing them into composite fibers.
More specifically, the present invention pertains to a process for producing chewing gum in the form of composite fibers, which comprises feeding a sugar such as sucrose, maltose, lactose or corn syrup and as an optional component glucose or a sugar alcohol such as sorbitol, or a material obtained by adding water to said sugar or sugar alcohol and melting the mixture, and/or a candy obtained by mixing such sugars and boiling them after adding water if desired, or a product obtained by cooling and pulverizing such a candy, into a fiberizing section, such as a rotating cylinder, of an ordinary candy floss making machine and fiberizing them; wherein a chewing gum base or chewing gum composition prepared in a customary manner is fed into said fiberizing section either simultaneously or alternately with said sugar, sugar mixture and/or candy whereby, for example, (1) the chewing gum base or chewing gum composition is entangled with fibers of said sugar or sugar mixture in the broad sense, or (2) the chewing gum base or chewing gum composition is converted to fine particles which are sprinkled and sticked to the fibers of the sugar or sugar mixture and/or candy, thus forming composite fibers.
The chewing gum in the form of composite fibers obtained by the process of this invention resembles conventional candy floss, and is new in that its outer shape quite differs from conventional stick gums, bubble gums, sugar-coated gums, etc. It has a high merchandize value because it has the soft and well-melting mouthfeel of candy floss and the good chewing characteristics of chewing gum.